KLFM News Looks at Youth Employment in West Norfolk

All this week on KLFM News we're looking into the issue of Youth Employment.

Volunteerting.

There's a call for young people to think about volunteering as something everyone should be doing.

The West Norfolk VCA has been telling KLFM News that young people are trapped in a cycle of being able to find paid work, but can't get experience without work.

Marie Connell is a project officer:

"Volunteering absolutely fills that hole. Quite often when people come to us, and not just young people either, it can lead to full time employment."

There's also a push for parents to get their younger teens into volunteering roles if they are thinking about university.

"There's such competition for univeristy places and if you have on your CV and your application form that you have done a bit of volunteering then you are going to be head and shoulders above someone who has not followed that path."

Universities and colleges are emptying out for summer, meaning many young people in West Norfolk will be looking for summer jobs.

With thousands of tourists visiting over the summer there's plenty of work in the towns, but many others will be looking to the farms.

Paul Cunningham is the Head of Operations in the East at the Gangmasters Licensing Authority and says you should always check if an agency is registered with them. There have been cases of picking and packing jobs paying pennies an hour and making people work in dangerous conditions.

"You should only work with someone who is licensed, because then that person must pay you at least national minimum wage, and has to make sure your health and safety is addressed. Whereas if you work for someone who is not licensed then you are ripe for exploitation."